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Toronto Blue Jays sign former Boston Red Sox right-hander to a two-year deal
Photo credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images
The Toronto Blue Jays have signed former Boston Red Sox right-hander Josh Winckowski to two-year contract.
According to a report from MLBTR's Steve Adams, right-hander Josh Winckowski is joining the Blue Jays on a two-year minor league deal.
The 27-year-old recently had internal brace surgery and hopes to pitch late in the 2026 season.
Per Steve Adams Josh Winckowski is signing a two-year minor league deal with the Blue Jays. The right hander stays in the AL EAST.
The additional news that Winckowski underwent internal brace surgery this month sheds more light on his potential timeline.
The procedure typically allows pitchers to return sooner than they would if they had Tommy John surgery.
With several months of recovery still ahead of him, it makes sense that the Blue Jays inked him to a two-year deal.
It's a return home for Winckowski, who was drafted by Toronto out of high school in 2016.
He delivered promising results in the lower levels of the minors, reaching High-A by 2019.
Winckowski's transition to the bullpen paid immediate dividends
The Red Sox transitioned Winckowski to a bullpen role in 2023, and the change paid immediate dividends.
The righty's fastball velocity jumped more than 2 mph, and his strikeout rate improved to 22.3%. Winckowski continued to get ground balls at a well-above-average rate.
Josh Winckowski, Nasty Cutters...and Sword. ⚔️
The combination of an improved arsenal and the persistent ability to keep the ball on the ground helped Winckowski post a sterling 2.88 ERA across 60 appearances.
He finished with 19 holds as an important member of Boston's bullpen.
Winckowski had a below average season in 2024
The 2024 campaign was a step back for Winckowski, both in terms of stuff and production.
His fastball and sinker velocities fell a bit, and he reverted to underwhelming strikeout numbers.
Winckowski was demoted to Triple-A on two separate occasions. The injuries limited him to just 11 2/3 innings with the Red Sox this past season.
His health, along with his pending arbitration and the fact that he was out of minor league options, likely contributed to him getting bumped off Boston's roster.
Winckowski will now head to Toronto with the hopes of recovering in time to help the major league squad.
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